Selbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Selbay family

The surname Selbay was first found in North Yorkshire at Selby, a town and civil parish that dates back to the time of the Vikings as archaeological investigations in the area have revealed extensive remains, including waterlogged deposits in the core of the town dating from that time. One of the first records of the place name was in c. 1030 where it was listed as Seleby. A little more than 50 years later, it was listed as Salebi in the Domesday Book and literally meant "farmstead or village near sallow-trees" having derived from the Old English word "sele" + the Old Scandinavian word "by." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) It is understood to be the traditional birthplace of King Henry I, fourth son of William the Conqueror, in 1068/69. It is best known for Selby Abbey, which it is claimed that when Benedict of Auxerre in 1069 saw three swans on a lake in Selby, he understood that to be a sign of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, hence the Arms of Selby Abbey has three swans. The township of Moat in Cumberland was the scene of many battles with the Scots of the north. "It more than once fell into the power of the Scots, and on one occasion was taken by David, King of Scotland, who caused the two sons of the governor, Sir Walter Selby, to be strangled." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Early History of the Selbay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Selbay research.Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1603 and 1667 are included under the topic Early Selbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Selbay Spelling Variations

Early Notables of the Selbay family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Selbay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Selbay family to the New World and Oceana

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Robert Selby settled in Virginia in 1636; Mary Selby settled in Virginia in 1720; Francis Selby settled in Maryland in 1741; Mrs. Selby settled in Boston with her children in 1712.

The Selbay Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Semper sapit supremaMotto Translation: He is always wise about the highest matters.